Top 8 Reasons to Wait to Have Sex

Frequently, I am confronted with the challenge of convincing my teen patients to wait to have sex. As adults, we often tell our children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, not to do something, but we do not explain why they should not do something. I posed this question to my facebook friends with the hopes of making a handout for my teen patients. Their answers were so thoughtful that I thought I would share them in my blog.

Purity is a gift to be given to your husband/wife on your wedding night.

You can only have one first time.

Virginity is like a warm, comfy, security blanket. It protects you from infections and events that would keep you from attaining your dreams.

A moment of pleasure can lead to a delay in your goals and years of financial responsibility.

Virginity is a precious jewel, a valuable possession. It should not be casually passed around. Keep it, cherish it!

Sex makes a relationship complicated.

Sex has consequences such as sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies.

Save yourself for marriage because this is God’s plan.

There were some common themes that my facebook friends expressed. Many of my friends cited a spiritual component to sex in that it was meant to take place within the context of marriage. Additionally, having sex too soon and with the wrong person can result in feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem. Lastly, sex and the consequences of sex can be an obstacle to fulfilling lifelong dreams and aspirations.

Feel free to use this list to start conversations with the pre-teens and teens in your life. You may not agree with every point but that is okay. The goal is to start the conversation. Special thanks to my facebook friends: Gary, Teri, Lori, Tracy, Kim, LaShelle (Mom), Laurence and Dana.